The cool thing about what Abbie is doing is that she’s donating all of the money from the sale of each doll (minus materials) to the Global Food Crisis Fund. Each doll costs $36. You should consider buying one.

Thank you for plugging what Abbie is doing!! I think it’s awesome that she is using her talent and creativity to raise awareness and money for the global food crisis. I’ve already ordered 2 dolls and am hoping she comes up with a animal to make for my non-“girly” daughter!!

If I could think of a way to play my violin for Compassion, I sure would!

Thanks so much Chris! I’m happy to say that I just sent out 3 dolls today!

Jill-maybe we could have a benefit concert. You play your violin while I sew dolls on the stage. JUST LIKE when Shaun Groves sings/plays the piano while someone else paints! haha. Okay, maybe that’s not such a great idea. I would however love to hear you play the violin!

Marilyn-hit me up and let me know what you are thinking. I’m sure we can work something out!

We’re having a benefit concert for Compassion on November 16th — and I’m the piano accompanist! We do this every other year, and call it the “Feast of Praise!” So you’re all welcome to come to northern Wyoming! Jill — let’s play a piano/violin duet! Also — believe it or not — I just met Abbie and her darling little daughter in Kansas City last week — and got to see a cute little Compassion Doll too! They’re adorable [both the doll and the real-live daughter — and mom Abbie]! lol

Jill — I’m the organizer and the accompanist, but I have a committee that helps choose musicians for each event, takes care of advertising and helps me make decisions. We actually hold this every other year, because on the opposite year our community has a large benefit for the local Hospice.

We call our concert the “Feast of Praise.” It’s for all denominations and for the entire community. I go to the ministerial association to get their support as sponsors for the event. There really aren’t many expenses (I usually purchase piano music myself), so nearly all funds go to our charities.

At the committee meetings, we decide what the format will be, and it has varied from year to year, incuding: soloists and small ensembles, a community choir, a worship team leading congregational singing and performing individual pieces as a group, and a community choir with featured soloists (each of the above were formats we used for various different years). If we are featuring soloists, ensembles and instrumentalists, the committee will decide who to invite to perform (we do not take just anyone that churches send our way, but do allow them to make suggestions). Since we’re a small community of 4,000 people, I sort of know everyone or have performed with them in the past (or at least heard them perform). We want to be excellent, so we are picky about who we allow to perform.

The Feast of Praise is a worship service though — not a staged performance or variety show. We generally have scriptures read before each song, usually over a hidden mic, so it sounds like the “Voice of God!” We ask the Ministerial Association to provide Pastors to give the opening and closing prayer, to greet people and hand out programs, and to give a short talk about the local transient fund. All our Feasts of Praises have taken an offering, and we split the funds half-way between the local transient fund and Compassion International. We have a lot of homeless transients in our community because we live at the crossroads of two interstates, and feel we should donate both locally and abroad. This actually helps bring people to the program that would not come if it was only one ministry we support. I always give a talk about Compassion’s ministry, or show a film. Usually we have a featured song relating to children, or have a special children’s choir or teen’s drama group perform.

Our main purpose this year will be to raise funds for the local transient fund and for Compassion’s Global Food Crisis fund/Haiti Hurricane Fund. Because of this, we do not get a lot of sponsorships, but I always have a table with child packets and volunteers/Advocates on hand to assist with this. We do get a half dozen or more sponsorships each year and collect between $500-$750 or so.

We print programs and I write a devotion for the program each year, and we also feature a jazz combo “pre-concert” for about a half hour before the actual program begins. People have been showing up right at the time of the pre-concert, so now we usually play for 45 minutes or so — very upbeat, joyful music that is enjoyed very much (and boy, do we ever have fun playing it!).

That is basically it. I know it sounds simple, but it does take a lot of time in preparation. One thing we’ve discovered just recently, is that holding it in a church rather than in the high school auditorium is a bit easier, because we don’t have to worry about lighting, sound, and mics. The church personnel all handle that for us, and it works well for a worship experience. We will be switching around to various churches, since this is for the entire community and we want to give them all a chance to host the Feast of Praise.

Blessings on you Jill (and others who take up the challenge)! Let me know if I can help in any other way! Fly me into your community and I’ll play the piano for it and speak on behalf of Compassion! lol

I’m glad to know others are using their talents to raise awareness for Compassion, both as a fundraiser and child sponsorship.

I’ve been planning on being a vendor at a local market once I get “enough” of a stock made–afghans, lapghans, and scarves–and putting most of the proceeds toward Compassion’s funds (donor’s choice, perhaps?). I’ll have brochures on hand, and possibly some child packets too–who knows; a child just might get sponsored because of it.

Just putting in my two cents. Maybe we can all get together for a Compassion craft benefit!